My husband and I recently moved from a city we loved to pursue new opportunities. We left beloved friends, a great church, and a wonderful suburb with the best neighbors one could imagine. Though it was a hard decision to make, we truly felt that God was leading us to another state.

Once we arrived, I experienced extreme feelings of loss. Though I was surrounded by warm weather, gorgeous beaches, and beautiful palm trees, I just couldn’t get past feeling a deep regret. I tried to meet new people through group functions. I attended conferences and networking events. My husband and I visited several churches. Yet, even with all of these activities, I still felt empty and sad. I tried to hide it, but I missed the life I left behind.

I prayed to God daily and asked him “God, why am I here?” The quiet voice I heard said “there are greater things in store for you, but you must trust me”. Well, even though I heard that voice, I still had a hard time with the transition. And I thought, “how am I going to encourage and motivate others when I’m feeling so discouraged?”

It’s in times like these that you need loving phone calls from good friends and family members, inspiration from God’s words, and motivational insight from a respected Christian Leader. As I was watching Joel Osteen one morning, he said that sometimes God takes us through a season of being alone. This is time we can draw closer to God, time we would normally give to another person or activity. God wants us to embrace our season of isolation. During these moments, we experience a pruning process so that we can bear much fruit.

Hearing Joel recite God’s word was life-changing. I had a new perspective on things. Even though I felt sad and I missed my old life, I had confidence knowing these feelings were temporary and God was doing a new work in me.

Focusing on people and things we lost can make us lose sight of the beautiful palm trees in front of us. Center your thoughts around the benefits of your new situation. It may feel uncomfortable for a while, but trust God to bring insight, peace and comfort right where you are.

You will face many trial and hardships. It’s just the natural cycle of life. In those difficult times, you have a choice to put your total trust in God or to continually question his will. What will you decide?

It was only a few days ago that I carried the joy of the world inside. In a split second, my joy turned to sadness. My sadness turned to despair. My despair turned to hopelessness. Tears became the hourglass of my day and I found myself asking “God, why? Why did this happen?”

There was no reasonable explanation. There was no one to blame. There was only the still, quiet voice of God whispering, “Will You Trust Me?” At first, I kept questioning God as to why this happened. Then a calm came over me. Though I didn’t understand why such a sorrowful event had taken place, I knew that God was faithful. I knew that God was loving. I knew that that even though this event was very painful, it was a part of God’s unique plan for my life.

I trust God’s plan for my life, though I may not always understand. My trust comes in knowing that God can see my beginning and my end. My faith stems from God’s unconditional love and constant provision for my life. My acceptance flows from an intimate relationship with God.

As a Life Coach, I am called to partner with clients to assist them in achieving personal goals, and making successful career transitions. I also help clients identify what they were created to do, so that they can operate in their unique purpose. This is a very rewarding role as I walk clients through a journey of discovery, identity and expectation.

Initially, clients are excited about the prospect of gaining insight and mentorship that can help them in their pursuits. However, this feeling can be short-lived when fears associated with self-examination and self-reflection begin to surface. The possibility of determining self-inflicted barriers to their goals or calling becomes a harsh reality that some have a hard time confronting.

It’s normally at this point, that I share some of my own personal obstacles and how I was able to overcome them. I then explain the limitations that would have been placed on my life had I not been willing to accept my role in the situation. As a final step, I stress the importance of what was learned from each situation. Challenges build endurance, fortitude and resilience. Personal challenges build character, compassion and reliance on God. Tests become awesome testimonies.

Consider a Life Coach and embark on journey of self-discovery, awareness and purpose.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a “Powerful Journey” women’s conference. During this conference, I was truly inspired by the keynote speaker, Marshawn Evans. Marshawn was a former Miss America beauty queen, Donald Trump Apprentice, and Georgetown University Law Center trained sports & entertainment lawyer. In addition to these accomplishments, Marshawn’s book, “Skirts in the Boardroom”, was #1 in the women and business category on Amazon. Though Marshawn’s aforementioned accomplishments were quite impressive, I was most inspired by Marshawn’s leap of faith to leave her job as an attorney to turn her passion for people into a million-dollar enterprise as a speaker, coach and entrepreneur.

After listening to Marshawn, I took a look at my own life only to realize that I was not living on the edge. For most of my life, I stayed within my comfort zone which was limiting my ability to excel as a Life Purpose Coach®. Today, I’ve decided to take a leap of faith. I’m moving outside of my comfort zone. I’m living on the edge.

If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space. ~ Unknown

Have you ever experienced instances where your faith was challenged? It’s not that you don’t trust God’s plan, but you just can’t understand why God’s plan doesn’t align to the immediate desires of your heart. As a result, you become discouraged, disappointed, and disheartened.

True faith in God requires you to totally submit to his will. If your desire is delayed or doesn’t come to fruition, then you have to believe that God’s ultimate plan for your life is greater than your immediate longing. The faith challenge is not an easy one, but it’s a necessary discipline that must be practiced to effectively walk in purpose.